Machine gun mounting for aircraft



March 17, 1936. a. w. BRADY 2,034,223

MACHINE GUN MOUNTING FOR AIRCRAFT Filed May 12 1933 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1111 mantel I 620/36 fljraa y Mrch 17, 1936. G. w. BRADY 2,034,223

momma GUN MOUNTING FOR AIRCRAFT Filed May 12, 1933 :s Sheets-Sheet 2Qaye fir'dd attbzmq I March 17', 1936. G1 w. BRADY 2,034,223

mcnmn eunmoumme' FOR gxncnnw Filed May 12, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet a gwmmtoaPatented Mar. 17', 1936 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE it i 2,034,223

MACHINE GUN MOUNTING FOB AIRCRAFT.

' George w. Brady, Anderson, Ind.

Application May 12; 1933, Serial No. 670,771

Claims.

' The primary object of the invention is to pro--' 5 vide a machine gunmounting for aircraft wherein the mounting and the gun are shiftable bythe. operator orgunner so that the gun may be trained over a large rangewithout interference to the gunner or to the gun from the air blast athigh speed.

'A further object of the invention is to provide a means associated withthe trigger mechanism of a flexibly mounted machine gun, which meanswillprevent operation of the firing mechanism of the gun at anytimewhen'the line of fire of the gun intersects any part. of the aircraft.

A further object of the invention is to provide the aircraft with atransparent cockpit hood for the protection of the gunner designed formaintaining the streamline of the aircraft and for protectingthe gunnerfrom airblasts.

A'further object of the invention is to provide a remote control for amachine gun and mounting therefor in aircraft with recoil of the gunabsorbed by the mounting mechanism and prevented from being transmittedto the gunner, thereby increasing the accuracy of the gunners With theabove and other objects in view that will become apparent as the natureof the invention is betterunderstood, the same consists in the novelform, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, shown i the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an airplane with the machinegun and adjustable mounting. therefor illustrated by dotted lines;

' Figure 2 is an. enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional viewshowing the movable mount-' ing for the machine gun, the remote controlfor the gun and the operating means for the movable mounting;

Figure 3 is an; enlarged fragmentary horizon- 45. tal sectional viewshowing the machine gun and mounting, therefor; a

Figure '4 is a diagrammatic view, partly in section showing the largerange of movement for the 7 machine gun and also a section of the girderconnecting the sections of the fuselage;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional viewof the means interposed between thesighting arm and gun for automatically locking the gun when the appliedacceleration exceeds a predetermined value;

a: Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal secchine gun;

tional view showing an annular space between sections of the fuselagecovered by a ring or fairing through which the muzzle of the machine gunextends; Figure? is a detail sectional view showing an 5 electricalcontrol means forthe firing mechanism of-the-machine gun; Figure 8 showsthe remote trigger control for the machine gun mounted on a hand grip ofthe sighting arm;

Figure 9 is a perspective view'of the machine. gun and a cooperatingpart of the airplane fuselage with the wiring arrangement forcontrolling operation of the firing mechanism of the ma- Figure 10 showsin side elevation, another form of remote control mechanism for themachine gun and its adjustable mounting:

Figure 11 is an end elevational view of a part of the mechanism shown inFigure 10;

Figure 12 is a detail view, partly in section of a part of the remotecontrol mechanism shown in Figure 10 and c Figure 13 is a diagrammaticview, partly in section, similar to Figure 4, showing a center braceconnection between sections of the fuselage permitting a maximum fgunrangepof 360.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, and particularlyto Figures 1 to 4, the

, aircraft is illustrated in the form of an airplane ii in which thefuselage thereof comprises a relatively long front body portion l6 and ashorter tail portion ll connected together by a longitudinally extendinggirder l8 with an space between the sections l6 and II, this girderextending a relatively short distance at opposite sides of thespacebetween the fuselage sectio The annular space between the sections Iiand ll of the fuselage is covered by a ring or fairing l9 which isfreely rotatably mounted thereover with its rear edge overlapping theforward edge of the tail section II of the fuselage while a track androller arrangement forms a connection between the forward edge of thefairing l9 and the rear edge of the fuselage section l6. As shown indetail in Figure 6, an internal annular track is carried by the rear endof the fuselagesection i6 with which flanged guide rollers 2| areengaged, these rollers being freely journalled upon spindles 22 carriedby brackets 23 projecting inwardly of the forward end of the fairing IS.A series of rollers ii is provided for the freeand easy rotatablemounting of the fairing, l9. As diagrammatically illustrated in Figure1,- the airplane l5 is under'control of the pilot P. The gunner G g whofaces aft remotely controls the machine gun 24 through the medium ofsighting devicesand mechanism connected with the gun, the muzzle of thegun projecting through a slotted opening 25 in the fairing l9. Thecockpit of the airplane seating the pilot and gunner is enclosed by a'transparent enclosure or cabin 28 providing clear vision while the sidesof the fuselage section IS in prommity of the gunner have transparencies21 for sighting through the sides and below the airplane.

The gun mount shown in Figures 2 and 3 comprises a frame ofsubstantially V-form having opposite bearing ends 28 and 29. The bearing29 seats in a journal 39 carried by the support 3| in the tail sectionl'l ofthefuselage while the forward bearing end 29 of the gun framemounting seats in the journal 32 of the bracket 33. The

gun frame mounting further includes a loop support 34 projecting fromthe bearing 28 and a.

fork support 35 projecting from the bearing 29, the support 34 and 35with the bearings 28 and 29 forming. an integral construction.

Themachine gun 24 is pivotally mounted at a .point within the annularspace between the fuselage sections l8 and I! and inwardly of thefairing 1 9 with the muzzle end of the gun projecting through thefairing slot 25, the pivotal mounting including a strap 38 inclosing-thebarrel of the. gun and pivoted as at 31 upon the upper end of the loopframe 34, the rear end of the machine gun 24 carrying the ammunition box38 and solenoid or other device 39 for the operation of frame 34.

The mounting frame bearings 28 and 29 are in line with longitudinal axisof the airplane body with means e'ngageable with the bearing 28 forshifting the frame members 34 and 35 in a clrcular path to cause themachine gun 24 to travel in a similar path with the frame. Theoperatingmeansfor the gun supporting frame includes a shaft 48 journalled at oneend in a bearing 4| at a point adjacent the gunners seat and above thebearing 28. Chain and sprocket connections 42 form communication'betweenthe shaft 40 and the bearing 28 and upon operation of the chain andsprocket mechanism the bearing 28 is rotated for shifting the framemembers 34 and 35 toderside a bell crank lever 44 that is plvotallycon-. nected intermediate its ends as at 45 to the rear adjacent end ofthe shaft 48. The sighting arm 43 includes a breast plate 46, hand grips41 and sighting devices 48.

' It is intended that thelongitudinal axis of the machine gun 24 remainsconstantly parallel with the longitudinal-axis of the sighting arm 43and to'maintain this relationship between the machine gun and sightingarm, a cylinder 49 is pivotally mounted at one end at 58 to the framesupport'35 adjacent its bearing 29, the cylinder 49.

housing a reciprocating piston. the rod 5| of; v

the fuselage sections i6 and J1 located at the pivotally attached to thefree end of the bell crank lever 44. Flexible tubing 56 connects thecylinders 49 and 53so that upon pivotal movement of the sighting arm 48at the point 45, the piston the gun trigger and being disposed withinthe loop v 5| is operated, in the desired direction for moving themachine gun 24 to maintain the parallel relation between the machine gunand sighting arm; The movements of the pistons in the two cylinders 49and 53 effects a transfer of fluid through the conduit 58 containing themachine gun. 24 and sighting arm 43 parallel with each other and to makeit possible to relieve the operating loads on the sighting arm, andforautomatlcally looking the gun in position whenever the applied ac-.celeration exceeds an arbitrarily set value, a check device 51 as shownin Figures 2 and 5 is set into the conduit 55 The check device 51comprises the valve casing 58 housing a reciprocating plunger valveincluding end heads 59 connected by a center pin 89 and engaged by thecoil spring 8| confined within the .valve casing for normally presentingthe pin 68 in line with diametrically opposite nipples 62 to whichsections of the flexible conduit 56 are connected as shown in Figure 2.In the event of applied acceleration through sudden movement of theaircraft the check device 51 operates to cut o'fi'the flow of fluidthrough said check device 51 and conduit 56, the reciprocating plungervalve 59 and 69 moving downward due to the force of the appliedacceleration against the tension of the spring 8!. When the appliedacceleration has reached the arbitrarily set value, the reciprocatingplunger valve 59 will have moved downward against the tension of thespring 6| so that the valve is closed and the gun 24 is locked againstshifting movement during ing devices 48 associated with the sighting arm43 and by gripping the handles 41, the sighting arm is moved on itspivotal mounting 45 for-the remote control of the machine gun, thismovement of the sighting arm 43 being transmitted through the bell cranklever 44, cylinder devices 49 and 53 and the flexible conduit 56 to.

the machine gun. The machine gun 24 has a further range adjustmentannularly of the airplane by rotary movement of .the frame support forthe machine gun on its bearings 28 and 29. To accomplish this annularrange adjustment, the sighting arm 43 and hand grips 41' are employedfor imparting rotary movement to the shaft 49 for the operation of thechain and sprocket connections between the shaft and bearing 28 forshifting the gun frame in a rotary direction. The fairing l9 beingfreely rotatably supported at the rear end of the fuselage section I 5and having the muzzle endof the gun 24 projecting through the slottedopening. 25 therein is freely rotated with the gun and provides aprotection for all of theoperating mechanism. The wide range of annular'adjustment of the frame and gun is diagrammatically illustrated inFigure 4,. this annular range adjustment being limited only by theconnecting girder l8'between the lower ends of lower sides thereof. r,The gun 24 illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 2 asbeing-positionedat right angles and also parallel with the longitudinal axis of theairplane and to prevent operation of thev firingmechanism -'of the 81mwhen the muzzle end thereof is directed toward or the line of fireinwherein an irreversible control system is emvided, such as'shown inFlgures 2 and Tto 9.

'While the firing mechanism of the gun may be controlled in the presenceof the foregoing conmounted on one of the handles 41 upon the sightingarm 48, for the remote-control of the firing mechanism 88 directlyassociatedwith the gun 24, there has for purposes of illustration beenillustrated electrical control means. The firing mech- 'anism 88 of themachine gun 24 comprises asolenoid or equivalent device for actuatingthe firing mechanism upon the passagetherethrough of an electricalcurrent and from one terminal of the solenoid in the firing device 88,there leads a wire 84 to a source of electrical energy 85; The otherterminal of the solenoid of the firingmechanism is connected-by .a wire88 to a contact 81 carried by the strap bearing 88 where the machine gun24 is pivotally mounted upon the frame supports 84 and 85 at the point81, the contact 81 being movable with the gun. The contact 61 includesan insulating body 88 set into a-socket in the end of the strap 88outwardly of-thepivotal mounting 81. A metallic bushing 88 is insertedin the insulating body 68 and receives an'end pro:- jecting contactpoint 18 tensioned as at 1| and gardless of the position of the machinegun and. the frame support therefor, the contact point 18 remainsconstantly engaged with the contact fiange 18. The contact fiange 18 hasa wire connection 14 with one side of a switch 15, the other side of theswitch 15 being connected by the wire 18 to the other terminal of thesource of energy 88. As shown in Figure 8, the switch 18 is mounted uponthe handle 41 on the sighting arm 48, the wire" being connected to thecontact 11 while-the wire 18 leads to the contact 18. The contact 18 ismounted on an arm. 18 pivotally mounted as at 88 and moved by thetrigger 88 against the tension of the spring 8| that normallyholds thecontacts 11 and 18 spaced from each other. To render the firingmechanism inoperative at any time when the machine gun 24 is directedtoward a part of the airplane, the contact flange 18 has set therein aseries of insulation sections 82' that are respectively engaged by thecontact point 18 to break the circuit even though the trigger 88 isoperated when the gun is'directed toward a part of the airplane.

As soon as the gun is moved to aim away from a part of the. airplane,the contact point 18 moves away from the insulation surface 82 and ontothe contact flange 18 so that the gun can be fired 'upon operation ofthe trigger 88.

Another form of shifting means for the gun and its mounting isillustrated in Figures 10 to 12 ployed and includes frame members 84aand a having journal end bearings 28a and 28a. The gun 24a is mounted inthe frame members 84a and 880 by means of the 'strap' bearing "a,pivotally supported as at 81a. The shaft 48a has a yoke 88 fixed to oneend thereof and in which a cross pin 84 is journalled and upon whichcross pin a clevis as is fixed with'the sighting .arm 83 rigidwith theclevis OSHA rod 88 is journalied through the rotatable shaft 48a and onits longitudinal axis, movement is imtrated in Figure 2.

carries at its inner. end within the yoke 88, a bevel I gear 81 fixed toone end of the rod 88 meshing and sprocket connection 88 with a shaft 88with 5 an interposed universal joint 88a,- the shaft 88 carryinga worm8| meshing with a worm segment 82 fixed to the strap bearing 88a for thegun 240.. It will therefore be seen that when the sightlngarm 43a ismoved with the cross pin 84 constituting a pivot therefor, the gear 88fixed to the cross pin and engaged with the bevel gear 81 rotates theshaft 88 for imparting movement to the shaft 88 by means of the chainand sprocket connection 88, for moving the gun 24:: on its pivotalmounting 81m To move the supporting frame members 84a and 85a on theirjournal bearings 28a and 28a, a bevel gear 88 is fixed to the rear endof :the shaft 480 and meshes with a bevel pinion 84 upon the adjacentend of the depending shaft 85 that carries a worm 88 at' its lower endmeshing with a worm wheel 81 fixed to the journal bearing 28a. when thesighting arm 48a is moved for rotating the shaft parted to the wormdrives 88 and 81 for 'rotating the gun frame supporting members 840. and35a in a manner as described in connection with the operation of thatform of the invention illus- In the body construction of the airplane asshown in Figures 3 and 4, the fuselage sections I8, I

and I 1 are illustrated as connected by a girder l8 at a point adjacenttheir lower. sides to permit a wide annular range of adjustment ormovement of the machine gun 24, whilein Figure 13, an

axial connection Ila is established between the sections l8 and 11 ofthe airplane fuselage with the machine gun 24!) mounted laterallythereof agggpable of moving through a complete circle 0 From the, abovedetailed description of the invention, it is believed that theconstruction and operation thereof will at once be apparent, theparticular mounting of the gun permittingthe gun to be operated over alarge range with no interference to the gunner or the gun from the airblast at high speed and should the gun be trained toward any part of theairplane, the firing mechanism thereof will be rendered inoperative. Thetransparent hood 28 provides for a a clear vision for both the pilot andgunner and the accuracy of the aim of the glmner is maintained at alltimes in the presence of the remote control and operation of the gun bythe devices forming connections between the gun and sighting arm, andwith the particular mounting of the gun firing is permitted over a rangewhich includes most of the rear hemisphere, particularly over the lowerarea which is not in the useful range of present conventional gunmounts.

While there are herein shown and described the preferred embodiments ofthe present invention, it is nevertheless 'to be understood that minorchanges may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as' claimed. i

I claim t 1. In an'aircraft, a journalled gun mount and a machine gunpivotally supported in the gun mount, 'a sighting arm, operatingconnections betweenthe sighting arm and mount and gun.

and means for automatically locking thegun' in 7 one of its degrees offreedom of movement whenever the applied load on the aircraft exceeds apredetermined value.

2. In an aircraft, a flexible machine gun mount including a framerotatable about the longitudinal axis of the air'craft,-a machine gunpivotally attached to said frame and rotatable in a circular path withsaid frame and located a short distance within the outer surface of thebody of said aircraft with the muzzle of the gun pro-' jecting from thebody, the axis of said pivot always remaining approximately tangent tosaid circular path, a shaft parallel to the axis of rotation of. theframe, a sighting arm pivotally mounted on said shaft, means fortransmitting rotation equally from the sighting 'arm to the frame, meansfor transmitting the motion of elevation of the sighting arm withrespect to the' shaft to motion of elevation of the gun with respecttothe frame, the two motions to be so arranged that the sighting armalways remains parallel to the barrel of the gun and a trigger controlfor firing the gun.

3. In an aircraft, a flexible machine gun mount.

including a frame rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the aircraft,a machine gun pivotally attached to said frame and rotatable in acircular path with said frame and located a short distancewithin theouter surface of the body of said aircraft with the .muzzle of the gunprojecting from the body, the axis of said pivot always resighting armwith respect to the shaft tomotion of elevation of the gun with respectto the frame, the two motions to be so arranged that the sighting armalways remains parallel to the barrel ofthe gun, a trigger control forfiring the gun andmeans to reduce the operating forces required to movethe gun.

4. In an aircraft, a flexible machine gun mount including a framerotatable about the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, a machine gun-pivotally at- 5 tached to said frame with the pivot normal to thelongitudinal axis of the aircraft and rotatable in a circular path withthe frame, a shaft parallel with theaxis of rotation of the frame; asighting arm pivotally' mounted on the shaft, means for-transmittingrotation equally from the sighting arm to the frame, means fortransmitting the motion of elevation of the sighting arm with respect tothe shaft to motion of elevation of the gun with respect to the shaft,the two motions to be so arrangedthat the sighting arm always remainsparallel to the barrel of the gun, a trigger control for firing the gunand means for rendering the trigger mechanism inoperative when the gunis directed toward'apart of the aircraft.

- 5. In an aircraft, a flexible machine gun mount including aframerotatable about the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, a machine gunpivotally attached to said frame with the pivot normal to 25 thelongitudinal axisof the aircraft and rotat- I able in a circular pathwith the frame, a shaft parallel with the axis of rotation of the frame,a sighting arm pivotally mounted on the'shaft, means for transmittingrotation equally from the sighting arm to the frame, means fortransmit-1 ting the motion of elevation of the sighting arm with respectto the shaft to motion of elevation of the gun with respect to theframe, the two motions being so arranged that the sighting arm alwaysremains parallel to the barrel of the gun, a trigger control for firingthe gun, means for rendering the trigger mechanism inoperative when thegun is directed toward a part of the aircraft and means to reduce theoperating forces 40 required to move the gun.

GEQRGE W. BRADY.

